Sienna Tops IIHS Minivan Safety Rankings but Watch for Gaps

Minivans aren't cool, but they are practical. Jalopnik reports that nearly 400,000 families bought one in 2025. If you are shopping for one, safety is the headline. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety just ranked the five main minivans, and Jalopnik has the full breakdown. The results put the Toyota Sienna on top, but the details matter as much as the ranking.

The Winner: Toyota Sienna

The Sienna earned more good ratings from IIHS than any competitor. It scored well on the small overlap front test, side impact, and headlights, a category where most minivans struggled. It also aced the seatbelt reminder and child seat tests.

But it did not earn a Top Safety Pick designation. The reason is a marginal score in the moderate overlap front crash test. IIHS tested a 2021 Sienna, Jalopnik notes, which is common for models that have not been redesigned. NHTSA gave it a five-star overall rating.

The Sienna is the safe choice in this group. It is the most complete safety package IIHS evaluated.

Second Place: Honda Odyssey

The Odyssey performed well in the small overlap and side tests and has a good LATCH system. The problem is the moderate overlap front test. IIHS flagged poor head and neck protection for rear passengers.

Headlights were acceptable, not good. The Odyssey outperformed the Sienna in NHTSA front crash testing, earning five stars. But the IIHS crash test data is harder for a family to ignore. If people sit in your back seats, this is a real concern.

The Chrysler Puzzle

Chrysler's two minivans ranked third and fourth, but the data is incomplete. The Voyager is being discontinued after 2026. The Pacifica gets new headlights for 2027.

IIHS ranked the Voyager above the Pacifica, but the Voyager did not receive the moderate overlap front test. The Pacifica's headlight grade, a poor, is based on a 2023 model with different lamps, Jalopnik reports. You would be buying a car on a safety grade for a different set of hardware. NHTSA gives both five stars, but the IIHS picture is a mess.

Last Place: Kia Carnival

The Kia Carnival brought up the rear. Its only good grade was in the small overlap front test. The moderate overlap test was marginal. What is missing is troubling. IIHS did not test the Carnival's headlights or its pedestrian detection system. For a family car marketed as modern, that is a significant gap in the safety record.

The Bottom Line

The Sienna is the only easy recommendation here. The Odyssey is a close second, but the rear passenger results should give families pause. The Chryslers are engineering coasters. The Carnival is an unfinished safety picture. Buy the Sienna. Check your VIN for any used minivan you look at. And read the full IIHS reports before you sign.

• Chrysler Pacifica
• Honda Odyssey
• IIHS
• Kia Carnival
• Safety Ratings
• Toyota Sienna